PhD in Policy Studies – Urban Education Leadership: Degree Requirements
Students must complete a total of 100 semester hours of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree or 68 semester hours beyond the master's degree, including the dissertation.
Students will pursue a program of study that equips them to conduct research from theoretical perspectives that constitute the Education, Leadership, and Policy field, including organizational theory and research, administration and leadership theory, educational policy processes, educational organization and leadership and educational change.
Advising Guides Heading link
College Doctoral Core and Research Methodology Core (24 credit hours) Heading link
- ED 504 Urban Contexts and Educational Research
- ED 505 Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes
- ED 506 Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses
- ED 502 Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education
- ED 503 Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education
- Plus one additional 4-semester hour course in qualitative or quantitative research methodology that is selected in consultation with the faculty advisor
Educational Policy Studies Core (8 hours) Heading link
- EDPS 506 Leadership, Instruction, Policy in Education
- EDPS 585 Research Practicum in Educational Leadership
Education, Leadership, and Policy Selective Courses (choose 3, 12 hours) Heading link
- EDPS 557 Developing Organizational and Leadership Capacity
- EDPS568 Education and the Law
- EDPS 571 The Education Policy Process
- EDPS 579 Organization Theory in Education
- EDPS 589 Administrative and Leadership Theory in Education
Education, Leadership, and Policy Electives (12 hours) Heading link
Elective credit hours should be selected in consultation with the faculty advisor
Dissertation (12 hours) Heading link
- EDPS 599 Thesis Research
Additional Requirements Heading link
Annual Reviews
To monitor student progress effectively, and to provide a vehicle through which students and their advisors will reflect on student progress in a structured way, each student will prepare and submit a formal Annual Review. Each student’s Annual Review will follow a program-wide template and each student’s progress will be reported to and discussed by the area faculty on an annual basis. One element on which students will be assessed will be their engagement in the scholarly community beyond coursework for the program. Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for professional growth such as colloquia, conferences and preparing papers for publication. The Annual Review provides a structured occasion to examine each student’s participation in such professional activities.
Doctoral Handbook Heading link
For more information on the program and degree requirements, please consult the doctoral student handbook.